Feature Channels: Women's Health

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Getting regular exercise such as cycling, walking, gardening, cleaning and participating in sports may decrease the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to new research published in the May 17, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study found female participants who exercised the most had a 25% lower rate of Parkinson’s disease when compared to those who exercised the least. The study does not prove that exercise lowers the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. It only shows an association.

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A new study conducted by scientists at the American Cancer Society and Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center reveals recent mortality rates for all major cancers decreased in most of the studied countries except lung cancer in females and liver cancer in males, where increasing rates were observed in most countries. The research also showed that cancer-specific mortality rates varied substantially across countries, with rates of lung and cervical cancer varying by 10-fold. The study was published today in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research.

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At a glance: Researchers trace the origin of certain breast cancers to genomic reshuffling — rearrangement of chromosomes — that activates cancer genes and ignites disease. The finding offers a long-missing explanation for many cases of the disease that remain unexplained by the classical model of breast cancer development. The study shows the sex hormone estrogen — thus far thought to be only a fuel for breast cancer growth — can directly cause tumor-driving genomic rearrangements.

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In a new study published in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, researchers at Washington State University found that conveying simple, scientific facts about how THC can harm a fetus was associated with reduced intentions to use cannabis while pregnant.

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Skin cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer in the United States, with over 5 million cases diagnosed annually. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that melanoma alone accounts for more than 8,000 deaths each year. Thankfully, skin cancer is highly preventable, making it crucial to prioritize protection. Below are some of the latest headlines in the Dermatology channel.

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Giving people at high risk of PFAS exposure the opportunity to easily self-test could improve access to testing for these “forever chemicals” and lead to the early detection of detrimental health conditions, according to a new Michigan State University study. The study tested an improved approach for people to collect their own blood samples to test for PFAS without being part of an academic research study.

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Women with early-stage cervical cancer had significantly higher chances of developing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) after radical hysterectomies if they were smokers or used a catheter for more than seven days post-surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers found in a study.

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Seemingly healthy people whose blood contained antibodies associated with a condition called antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) were significantly more likely to experience a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke than those without, a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists shows

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Dr. Sarah Prager looks at the impacts of recent federal court rulings on Washington state and nearby states, as well as the impact of rulings on miscarriage care.

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Even though they reported overall satisfaction with their care, the 10 who received care in a clinic facility portrayed their consultations as lengthy, chaotic and lacking comfort, the published paper said.

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Most new mothers experience one or more changes in their mood before childbirth and for two weeks after the baby arrives.

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Susan G. Komen thanked Tennessee lawmakers and Governor Bill Lee for signing legislation into law that removes out-of-pocket costs for diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging.

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At TTUHSC El Paso, addressing health disparities remains at the forefront of our mission.

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Five years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a global call to eliminate cervical cancer. Because nearly all cervical cancers are caused by an initial infection with oncogenic types of human papillomavirus (HPV), screening for the virus is critical to preventing and treating the disease.However, providing HPV screening only within clinical settings may limit access to screening for many under-served women across the United States and here, in North Carolina.

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Physician-scientists from Cedars-Sinai Cancer are available for interviews to discuss the new draft recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that women at average risk for breast cancer should have a mammogram every other year beginning at age 40.

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A new University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center study reveals more about changes that happen to cancer cells when they metastasize and identifies a promising target for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.Metastasis is when cancer cells spread from the primary tumor to surrounding tissues and distant organs in the body and is the primary cause for breast cancer mortality.

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It’s often adorable, beautiful and touches your soul. It’s also essential for childhood development. A Penn State Health expert talks about why the first moments between mother and child are so important.

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Osteoporosis — a condition that causes bones to become weak and more susceptible to fracture — affects more than 10 million Americans. It occurs when a person’s body does not properly replenish the components of their bone tissue.

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Get your mental health news here.

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Short-term therapy sessions with parents and their children in homeless shelters could help improve parenting skills and reduce parental stress and children’s post-traumatic stress symptoms, according to a pilot study published by the American Psychological Association.

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University Hospitals Portage Medical Center has made a number of recent investments in various areas to better serve patients in the community. Throughout the next few months, the hospital will be opening a new Breast Health Center, renovating its Cath Lab, enhancing women’s health services, and making new improvements in nuclear medicine, imaging, and across its facilities.

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Susan G. Komen thanked Washington lawmakers for passing, and Gov. Jay Inslee, for signing diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging legislation into law.

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Dipen Parekh, M.D., founding director of the Desai Sethi Urology Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has been awarded the Sushruta Award by the Indian American Urological Association (IAUA) for his contributions to the field of urology.

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Burden of opioid toxicity death in the fentanyl-dominant era for people who experience incarceration in Ontario, Canada, 2015–2020: a whole population retrospective cohort study.

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With optoacoustic tomography emerging as an effective breast cancer screening method, Seonyeong Park of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and her team wanted to determine its reliability in patients with darker skin. They simulated a range of skin colors and tumor locations using digital breasts to make rapid and cost-effective evaluations, and the results confirmed that tumors could be harder to locate in individuals with darker skin. Park has developed a virtual framework that allows for more comprehensive investigations and can serve as a tool for evaluating and optimizing new OAT imaging systems in their early stages of development.

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Repeated mammograms contain data on changes in breast density over time that could help identify women at high risk of breast cancer and even reveal which breast is likely to be affected, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

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Susan G. Komen is pleased to see that the USPSTF has taken into account more recent scientific-based evidence and believes women of average risk should begin breast cancer screening at age 40. However, Komen believes screening should be done every year to catch cancer as early as possible when outcomes are generally better and treatment costs less.

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A banner year for Desai Sethi Urology Institute at urology’s premier meeting, the American Urological Association (AUA) 2023, held April 28-May 1 in Chicago where faculty and researchers led and debated during plenary sessions and presented novel research in topics spanning prostate and bladder cancers to sexual function and robotic surgery.

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Women should begin getting regular mammograms to screen for breast cancer at age 40. That is new draft guidance from the United States Preventive Services Task Force.

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New USPSTF Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations are a step in the right direction. However, the American College of Radiology and Society of Breast Imaging urge the USPSTF to go further to recommend annual mammography screening for all average-risk women ages 40 and older.

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May is a month to recognize the importance of cancer research, with both Brain Tumor Awareness Month and National Cancer Research Month taking center stage. Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC is dedicated to advancing our understanding of cancer and developing new ways to treat and prevent it. Teams of investigators are working to uncover the molecular mechanisms that drive cancer growth, migration, and metastasis.

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In the first analysis of its kind, researchers at the American Cancer Society discovered cancer death rates across all congressional districts in the United States show an overall decline in the past 25 years, with most districts showing a 20%-45% decline among males and a 10%-40% decline among females.

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A decline in New York’s childbirth rate is showing no sign of reversing and many women are waiting longer to have children, according to newly compiled data from the Program in Applied Demographics (PAD) in the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy.

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The Kathryn F. Kirk Center for Comprehensive Cancer Care and Women’s Cancers is a major expansion of Huntsman Cancer Institute, designed with the most advanced cancer care expertise and technology.

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UT Southwestern Medical Center is expanding its footprint to better serve the northwest Dallas region, offering primary care visits ranging from management of chronic health issues to women’s health exams at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Coppell.

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Despite breastfeeding being recommended for at least two years, only 36 percent of all infants are still breastfed at their first birthday. Black/African American mothers are least likely to initiate breastfeeding with initiation rates of only 74 percent compared to 90 percent of Asian mothers with a national average of 84 percent. Given the disparities in breastfeeding initiation, there are likely to be equivalent disparities in breastfeeding duration.